Jenkins still has love for Paula Deen

The embattled cooking show host — famed for her Southern comfort food — has lost her show and several corporate partners after admitting she has used racial slurs in the past.

But former NFL Pro Bowler Kris Jenkins still loves her.

Jenkins, who appeared on Deen’s show last year in a tailgating segment, says he doesn’t see what the big deal was.

“The lady was a sweetheart to me; [her] making a mistake I’m not going to be the one to make a big deal of it. I got to see her heart and for me, I don’t look at the ‘N word’ as a bad word like that in this year — in 2013. The reason is because I think the ‘N word’ is more a test of my inner strength as to how strong am I to even be bothered by the word or not,” Jenkins told Metro New York.

He also clearly enjoyed his time on the show.

“She graced me with the opportunity to be on her show. While I was there, I had an amazing time, and [an] amazing experience. I saw something there that was a little different from what everyone knows of her."

Oh and since we know you want to see it, here’s Jenkins on the show, where he introduced Deen to the Option Dog.